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Lamentations 3 “The Power of Reflection”

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4–7 minutes

Lamentations 3 NIV

Suggested Praise Songs:      

Resources for Family Worship (with Children):

Explanation:

Chapter 3 can be considered the very heart of the Book of Lamentations. In the previous chapters, the poet poured out anger and resentment toward God through prayer. Through that prayer, the negative emotions that had been dominating the poet’s heart seem to have been released, and the once-blocked relationship with God appears to have been reopened.

In this lament, the poet first describes the suffering he has endured as a result of God’s judgment (vv. 1–20). He feels as though God is shooting arrows at him, making him a target. He portrays God as relentlessly pursuing him and tormenting him as cruelly as possible. As a result, even the hope he had placed in the Lord has disappeared. The Lord was his only hope, but having been abandoned by Him, nothing remains except despair.

From the deep valley of despair, the poet reflects on the God he has believed in all along (v. 21). He remembers that in the past he had confessed, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end” (v. 22), and that “They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (v. 23). He had continually proclaimed, “The Lord is all I have; the Lord is my hope” (v. 24). As he recalls these truths, his faith is restored—that the Lord never abandons those who rely on Him and follow Him. Though the suffering he is now enduring is exceedingly great, he must believe in God’s faithfulness and endure it (vv. 25–32), because bringing disaster is not God’s “true desire” (v. 33).

Having regained faith and hope through reflection on God, the poet speaks to the people of Judah. God sees all the evil actions of the wicked (vv. 34–36) and governs all things in the world (vv. 37–38). Therefore, they should not complain about the judgment they have received from Him (v. 39). What they must do in the midst of calamity is examine their past ways, repent, and pray to God (vv. 40–41).

After urging the people to pray, the poet offers a prayer using the first-person plural, “we.” He first acknowledges their sins and repents. The disaster they are now experiencing is the deserved consequence of their sins (vv. 42–51). Then, as he describes their miserable condition, he asks the Lord to avenge them on their enemies (vv. 52–63). Finally, the poet prays that God would punish the enemies who have tormented them (vv. 64–66).

Meditation:

True hope begins where human hope comes to an end. The poet finds himself in a situation where no hope can be found anywhere on earth. Hope exists only in God, yet the disaster he is suffering has come from God’s judgment—so it feels as though all hope has been lost forever. It can be compared to a young child, for whom parents are everything, being abandoned by them. The poet has been cast down to the very bottom of despair, sinking endlessly into a swamp of depression. The loneliness of feeling abandoned by everyone is the most significant suffering a human being can endure.

In that situation, the poet thinks of God. In fact, there was no one else he could think of but God. As he remembers the love and grace of God that he experienced in the past, he begins to ask why God had no choice but to act as He did. In the process, a light of understanding shines into his soul, which had been trapped in darkness. He comes to believe that God’s true heart lies in steadfast love. He realizes that the disaster he is now experiencing has come from that love. He understands that what he is going through now is not everything and that it is not the end.

As faith and hope in God are restored, he can escape the swamp of depression that had been irresistibly pulling him down. He is then able to encourage the people of Judah, who were trapped in despair.

This is the reason we meditate. Meditation is to “call to mind” or “think carefully within the heart” (v. 21). The object of this careful reflection is God. It is to consider what God is doing in the midst of what is happening now, and why He has allowed these things to occur. When we cannot understand what we are experiencing, we look back and reflect on how God has acted toward us in the past. Reading and meditating on Scripture helps us remember God’s work throughout the long course of history and enables us to interpret our present circumstances in that light. Then we can face and overcome realities that are otherwise incomprehensible and unbearable.

Prayer:

We thank You for the grace that has led us into a life of meditation. Sitting in Your presence, O Lord, the Sovereign over heaven and earth, and thoughtfully reflecting on what You have done is truly sweet. For our true hope is found in You. Amen.

Discussion Questions for Children & Youth:

Key Point: When everything feels hopeless, God is still with us, and by remembering who God is and what God has done, we can find real hope again.

  • For Preschool-Elementary:
    • When you feel sad or scared, who do you like to think about or talk to first?
    • The Bible says God’s love is new every morning—what is one good thing God gives us each day?
    • If God could sit next to you today, what would you like to say to Him?
  • Youth:
    • When things feel overwhelming, what usually makes you feel less alone? Why?
    • The writer of Lamentations found hope by remembering God’s character. What is one thing about God that gives you comfort?
    • How can quietly reflecting on God (meditation or prayer) be different from trying to fix everything right away?

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